


Red mistletoe

by Merry_rf



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Recovering, Christmas Fluff, F/M, M/M, Mistletoe, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 23:15:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13087476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merry_rf/pseuds/Merry_rf
Summary: It’s Christmas in Wakanda and someone has hung some mistletoe...





	Red mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Completely cliched, self-indulgent, mistletoe-trope. But it's the first fic I've finished in years, so thought I would contribute it. Season’s greetings!

Steve assumes Clint pinned it up as a joke. Or maybe Scott. Either way, it isn't traditional mistletoe as he remembers from his childhood Christmases, it's a local variety, with more red in the leaves and the berries. Despite the difference in appearance, nostalgia flutters through him. 

He remembers Becca catching him once at the Barnes' house, giggling as she kissed him. It had been brief. And wet. Later, in the war, Howard had tacked up some mistletoe in the SSR office, hoping to catch Peggy under it. Peggy had caught Steve instead. It had been their second-to-last kiss, but at the time he'd thought it was only one of many to come.

Staring at the mistletoe for so long proves to be his undoing. Steve's standing in the doorway of the common room of their wing of the palace that T'Challa had so generously let the former Avengers use. Clint's making coffee in the kitchen, watching Steve. It's evening, the light of the setting sun glowing softly, crickets and frogs starting to chirp outside. Steve doesn't hear Bucky come up behind him, he's so lost in memories. Bucky looks up at the foliage. 

"Mistletoe."

"Yeah," says Steve. "You know, Becca kissed me once at your house under the mistletoe. Must've been about 1931, I think. She would've been twelve?" Bucky nods. "I didn't tell you, thought you might deck me."

Bucky quirks an eyebrow at him, a soft expression on his face. "Probably would've back then. Now it's just cute."

Clint drops a teaspoon in the sink. "You two have officially been standing there too long not to kiss. The mistletoe commands it," he says as he brushes past Steve, exiting the kitchen with his travel mug filled with coffee.

Steve rolls his eyes at Clint as he disappears out of the common room, though he could have sworn Clint gave him a quick wink before he vanished. Steve looks at Bucky. "He didn't mean it, Buck. You don't have to do anything you don't want."

Bucky looks at Steve for a long moment, carefully. Steve looks back. Bucky has been much more himself since the Wakandan scientists were able to help him. But Bucky is a much quieter version of the man he used to be. The cocky youth has been tempered to something more contemplative. And now Bucky seems to be contemplating Steve.

"You're always sayin' I don't have to do things I don't want. What about the things I do want?"

Steve is surprised and it must show on his face. Bucky turns to face him fully, no longer looking at the mistletoe. The low light catches the gold-edged plates on Bucky's new arm. "What do you want Bucky?"

Bucky reaches for Steve's shoulder with his flesh hand, pulling them closer together. "Just for once, I want this," he says, and kisses Steve softly on the mouth. Steve melts into it, and into Bucky. 

When the kiss ends, Steve opens his eyes. He wasn't aware he'd closed them. He's clutching Bucky too tight. He lets go. "Bucky, I..." but Bucky tightens his hands on Steve, quieting him. 

"That's all I want... for now anyway. Call it my Christmas present." Bucky smiles and steps away. "I just needed to be sure."

"Whatever you want it's yours," Steve says, a hint of the desperation he's feeling in his voice. He's wanted Bucky for so long, loved him for so long, he doesn't know how to stop. Steve's been afraid that after all the horrors that Bucky's been through, what Steve wants might be impossible.

"Whatever I want? That's an awful lot to give Steve, are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yes, anything." What he wants right this moment is to kiss Bucky again. 

Bucky must read his mind, because he steps back in and quickly kisses him, gently, mouth closed. "I'm not ready, for anything more... yet. Not even sure what I'll be ready for. But I'll let you know when I am." Bucky pulls him in for a hug. Steve holds on as tight as he can. It's more than Steve had ever hoped for, but not nearly enough. "Give me time Steve, and we'll see." Bucky's reading his mind again.

They break apart, and Steve finds himself looking back up at the mistletoe. "Who put it up d'you think?" he asks Bucky.

"Clint probably. I'll have to thank him."

***

From the ceiling vent in the corner of the common room, Clint smiles as he sips his coffee.


End file.
